


Between the Essence and the Descent

by Jennifew



Category: Elisabeth - Levay/Kunze
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-12-19
Updated: 2008-12-19
Packaged: 2018-01-25 06:17:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1636049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jennifew/pseuds/Jennifew
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Unlike humans, he had the luxury of time; and on Christmas Eve, 1888, his plans were starting to come to fruition.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Between the Essence and the Descent

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Valancy

 

 

_Und so wart' ich im Dunkeln_  
und schau zu dir hin  
als der grosse Verlierer--  
doch ich weiss, ich gewinn!  
\--Michael Kunze

He was waiting when Rudolf returned from dinner, lounging comfortably on the furniture as though the rooms were his own. They weren't, of course, but he found it difficult to view the human notion of ownership seriously. From his perspective, all they were doing was simply borrowing things for a moment or two.

The Crown Prince appeared unsurprised by his presence, either accepting it as commonplace or too upset to care. Given his pale complexion and the signs of tears still on his face, it was probably the latter.

"She didn't care. She didn't even _look_ at them," Rudolf fumed, knowing he wouldn't need any context.

"Did you expect otherwise?"

"Do you have any idea how long it took me to track those letters down? How much they cost? How hard it was to think of something she might actually take an interest in? But she barely glanced at them."

He rose and crossed to where Rudolf was pacing the length of the room. "She thinks only of herself. This is hardly a new revelation," he pointed out, reaching out to pull Rudolf into his arms. Ever since he was a boy, the Crown Prince had responded well to such gestures, gratefully welcoming even the slightest sign of affection; quite the opposite of his mother in that respect. Certainly easier to control.

"Herself and Valerie," Rudolf agreed quietly, the anger seemingly replaced by resignation. 

Long accustomed to such rapid shifts in mood, he rubbed Rudolf's back soothingly, knowing all he had to do now was wait and the young man would confide in him, desperate as he always was for someone who would listen to him.

"If only she would take the time to ask my opinions, I know she'd agree with me on so many issues."

He regarded Rudolf skeptically, somewhat relieved their position kept the boy from seeing his expression. There were times he wondered how the people in this family ever managed to communicate at all. "And you've shown her your writings, have you?"

"Well...no, but--she doesn't ask, either. I hardly ever see her, so how exactly could I show her anything? Anything I tried to pass through her staff would never reach her."

"It would if she had ever cared to leave instructions to that effect," he pointed out bluntly.

"I thought things were changing," Rudolf admitted. "After the other day, I thought.... She said--she said she loved me. I don't remember ever hearing her say that before. I thought surely now that she knew I have no desire to harm Valerie, she'd be able to--" He cut himself off abruptly. "It doesn't matter. Obviously I misjudged."

"She has always been self-absorbed, you know. She very likely always will be. There is no reason for you to expect otherwise from her."

"But there is!" Rudolf murmured into his shoulder. "She saved my life once; that has to mean she cares. She can't have forgotten...."

"That was a long time ago. She has Valerie now." Rudolf's arms tightened around him, silently acknowledging the truth of that statement. The Empress' favouritism was no secret. He pulled back slightly, placing one hand along Rudolf's cheek to tilt his head up. _Perhaps this time...,_ he thought as he leaned in.

Rudolf turned his face away at the last moment, but rather than pulling back sharply as he usually did the movement was half-hearted. "Not--yet," he whispered. "I'm not ready."

"Soon, though," he stated confidently.

The lack of protest spoke louder than words; Rudolf was close to surrendering, and knew it.

Now it was only a matter of time. Though perhaps he could hurry things along a bit....

* * *

After leaving Rudolf, he appeared in the Empress' apartments, waiting patiently for the lady-in-waiting to finish brushing Elisabeth's hair and depart.

"What have you come for this time?" The Empress spoke without turning around, having developed a sense over the years of when he was nearby whether she could see him or not. Though perhaps that had more to do with the way her ever-present wolfhounds swiftly slunk out of the room when he arrived than any unusual perception on Elisabeth's part.

Now that they were alone, he allowed himself to become visible. "Must I have an agenda beyond wanting to see you?" he enquired lightly.

"You generally do. Before you waste my time and yours, I should inform you that you have no chance of convincing me to go with you. Not now, not with Valerie's future to settle."

He wouldn't complain if she did accept his offer to escape, by any means, but he had hardly intended to ask again tonight. His plans for her son were too close to fruition for him to be concerned with her dismissive attitude. He intended to make her beg, as he himself had so often in the past. And this time, he would be the one rejecting her.

It was only fair.

"How was your little family gathering this evening?" he asked in the meantime.

He knew he'd struck a chord when she froze momentarily before turning from her mirror to face him. It wasn't often in recent years that he could gain her attention so fully.

"I presume, then, that you know we publicly announced Valerie's engagement tonight. You are not to go near her or Franz," she announced coldly, indifferent as always to the impertinence of ordering him around.

"The thought had never crossed my mind," he assured her, only a little untruthfully. The thought had occurred, but been swiftly dismissed as too easy. The game he'd been playing with Rudolf for so many years was far more entertaining.

"I have enough cause for concern given that Rudolf will eventually be in control of their lives," she continued as though he'd never spoken, "without your interference as well."

There it was: the perfect opening. "And how is your son?"

The Empress glanced at him sharply before turning back to her reflection. "Impossible, as always."

He affected an air of ignorance. "Was he not pleased by his sister's good news?" he asked, deliberately invoking one of Elisabeth's greatest fears.

"Of course he wasn't; they shall have to go to Germany when Rudolf is Emperor, I am sure of it, despite what he said when first informed of their engagement. The last thing I need at the moment is to have to deal with you on top of everything else. I would appreciate it if you left now."

He tilted his head in acknowledgement and did as she asked, perfectly willing to concede now that he had gotten what he'd come for. He was pleased to see she persisted in holding such unfounded opinions of her son; their estrangement played right into his hands. Continuing isolation would drive Rudolf to him at last, guilt would exacerbate Elisabeth's grief to a point it would never reach for either of her elder children on its own, and he would almost certainly have the opportunity to finally show her what it felt like to be turned away, as she had turned away him and so many others over the years.

He could hardly wait.

 


End file.
